All He Had Left
by GoWashTheLights
Summary: Leonard receives the news that Jocelyn has had enough, and is forced to confront their daughter on it. Oneshot.


**Author Note: **Seeing '09Gen Bones with his girl would be adorable. This is just a little dap into the pre-space life of our favorite grouch, since we have no idea what it was actually like.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Star Trek, its characters, etc.

Enjoy!

* * *

It was a perfect summer evening when Leonard McCoy's world shattered. He'd just finished classes, and suddenly his phone was going off. Jocelyn had messaged him, and by the time Leonard had finished reading it, he felt unable to move. He knew it had been coming, but he...

She wanted a divorce. They'd been married for almost six years, so it was apparent that the seven-year-itch had set in early. The two had found nothing to say lately besides hateful words, and no medicine Leonard had studied would cure it.

With a trembling hand, he dialed her number and found a quiet spot. His anxiety began to rise, and his breath hitched as she answered. _"I told you to call me later. Didn't you get my message?"_

After a moment, Leonard remembered how to breath again. "Jocelyn. Please, can't we talk about this?"

She sighed. _"I'm working late. We will talk, but not like this."_

He couldn't believe it. She was so calm, but he was on the edge of hysteria. "Josie, what about everything we've been through? What about Joanna?"

_"This will be much better for her, Leonard. With the way things have been, she'll be happier. I have to go."_ She hung up without another word.

He wasn't even sure how he made it home. He'd been spending most nights at the bar, but for some reason his feet carried him onto the threshold. His face felt warm, and his chest too tight; he knew he was crying. The light was on, meaning the babysitter was still up with the kid. He didn't want her to see him like this, so he resolved to let the tears fall before he walked in.

Fate made other plans. The curtains were pulled aside, and though he couldn't bare to look, Leonard knew it was his girl. The front door unlocked a moment later, and a pint-sized McCoy jumped into his arms. "Dad! Finally, you're home!"

He held her tightly, and managed to compose himself as she looked up at him. "Hey, apple dumpling. I missed you all day."

"Daddy," she said, reaching up to touch his face, "why are you crying?"

"Oh, I'm not cryin'. It's summer; you know that Daddy gets bad allergies."

She watched him carefully, and Leonard knew that somehow, she could see right through him. She hugged him, and the lump in his throat rose once more. "It's okay, Daddy. You and Ma fight a lot, and it makes you sad."

Suddenly, the babysitter appeared. "Mr. McCoy, it's good to see you! I wondered where she'd run off to." She ruffled Joanna's hair, and stepped onto the porch. "I've got to head out now, sorry, sir."

"Oh, yeah," Leonard stepped aside to let her pass, "I owe you credits, hon, don't leave without 'em." He shifted Joanna to one arm, and wrestled a hand into his pants pocket.

To his surprise, the younger girl raised a hand. "No, not tonight, thank you. Watching Jo is a treat, and I really have to get going." She turned, hurried over to her bike, and whizzed down the quiet street after turning it on.

Joanna clung to him still. "Let's go inside, Dad. I want to watch a movie with you."

Leonard turned to her and smiled. "Okay, sweet pea, let's watch a movie. You had dinner, took a bath?" He smelled her strawberry-scented hair teasingly as he stepped inside, making her giggle. "Hm, nope. You smell awful - I'll have to make sure you get it done tomorrow."

"Daddy! I smell just fine! I ate all my food, and brushed my teeth, too. I'm not a baby anymore; I did it by myself."

He sighed in relief as he dropped his bag at the end of the hall. Jocelyn would harass him, but honestly, what did he care? The 'talk' she wanted later only included where he'd be finding his next place, and how quickly he could get his stuff out. "You'll always be my baby, Jo."

Joanna squirmed from his arms, and picked out one of her favorite movies. She looked up at him and grinned. "I'll get us some snacks."

Leonard smiled tiredly at her. "Now, honey, you said you brushed your teeth. Your mother'll have a fit if she finds us eating junk food, so come sit with me."

The little girl, barely six, had all the wisdom of the world in her eyes. She nodded and hopped onto the couch, pulling the giant quilt over them. As the movie played, she cuddled with her father, her knees pulled to her chest. As he ran his hand over her dark curls, she mumbled something. He looked down at her and asked her to repeat. She didn't look at him, but said clearly, "You're leaving soon, aren't you?"

An appalled expression crossed Leonard's face. The anxiety he'd felt earlier was coming back, and he stopped stroking her hair. "Jo...what...?"

"I knew it was gonna happen. My friend Melanie said that before her Dad went away, he fought a lot with her Mom. Sometimes I sit at the top of the stairs..." Her voice broke as she trailed off. "I hear you. You say awful things to Momma, and she says just as awful things back."

Fresh tears were forming before Leonard could control them. "Joanna, sweetie," he tried to soothe. "I...won't pretend we don't fight, but Mom and I still have to talk. I'm not goin' anywhere yet, you hear?" He turned her body to face him, but she looked determinedly at the screen. Her brown eyes were shining against the light of it, and her lip trembled. "Joanna...!" He tried to snap, but it came out like he was being strangled.

She finally looked up at him, and took his face into her tiny hands. "Daddy, it's okay. I-It's okay, because I still love you! You both love me, even if you don't love each other - "

He pulled her into a crushing embrace, and started to finally cry. "No, it's not that, Joanna, not at all. Mom and I are just...I don't know. We do love you, sweetheart, more than anything else, and this..." _'This will be much better for her.' _"This is hard for us. We're still going to talk about it."

Joanna sniffled into his chest and nodded. He rocked her back and forth. patting her back as comfortingly as he could. She turned her chin up towards him, and kissed his cheek. "You'll still write letters, right?"

A laugh, in-between a laugh _and_ a sob, escaped him. "I can call you, silly. Then you'll see and hear me - won't that be better?"

She shook her head uncertainly. "It's okay. I like the letters you left in my backpack, or on my bed when you'd be gone all day. I like that better."

He chuckled again and nodded. He brushed loose hair from her face, rubbed at her freckled, tear-stained cheeks, and sighed. "You're my whole life. I'll do whatever it takes to stay with you, even if I'm not here. Just be brave like you always are, and it'll be okay."

Satisfied, she smiled and turned to the television, resting back against his chest. He kept his arms wrapped securely around her, and remained that way long after the both of them had fallen fast asleep.

* * *

_:C A little more heart-breaky than I'd anticipated, but okay. I hoped you liked it!_


End file.
